Rüsselsheim. The Opel Tigra TwinTop enhances the class of sporty two-seaters with electro-hydraulic retractable steel roofs. Depending on the weather and driver’s mood, this dynamic quick-change artist offers open air fun or coupé driving pleasure, transforming at the touch of a button in only 18 seconds. The Tigra TwinTop was enthusiastically received by the public and car experts alike right from its world premiere at the Geneva Motor Show in 2004, and was crowned “Cabrio of the Year” by an international jury.

Design and packaging

The Tigra TwinTop is designed for customers who pay a lot of attention to soft criteria when buying a car. The cabrio-coupé’s dynamic body lines make it an eye-catcher, open or closed. The two-seater’s sporty interior offers plenty of space, so that even taller occupants can travel very comfortably.

The Opel Tigra TwinTop’s special highlight is its sophisticated retractable steel roof, which uses an electro-hydraulic system to allow easy opening and closing at the touch of a button. The Tigra boasts storage volume of around 400 liters – 328 liters in the trunk and an additional 53 liters in a compartment behind the seats. With the top down, the trunk offers roughly 170 liters of luggage capacity in addition to the interior storage compartment. Just like the retractable roof, the trunk lid opens and closes electro‑hydraulically at the touch of a button, which is especially practical and convenient.

Body and passive safety

The foundation for the Tigra TwinTop’s excellent passive safety is the extremely stable passenger compartment. It features deformation zones that transform impact energy through controlled deformation in the event of a collision. The A-pillars are reinforced with high-strength steel pipes, and the wave-shaped bar is anchored to a stable transverse beam located in front of the luggage compartment.

The Tigra is also equipped with an extensive safety package for passenger protection. It includes four airbags (two front and two side airbags), three-point safety belts with belt pretensioners and belt-force limiters, the patented Pedal Release System (PRS) and height-adjustable head restraints.

Chassis and active safety

The Tigra TwinTop owes its safe and agile handling to its exceptionally rigid two-seat body construction. Specially reinforced steel pipes in the side sills and doors, as well as sturdy cross members in the underbody behind the seats ensure high torsional rigidity, even when the roof is down. The Tigra TwinTop’s chassis is based on a McPherson front axle suspended from a subframe, and a torsion-beam rear axle with trailing links and coil springs. The wide track, long wheelbase and self-stabilizing axle kinematics contribute to the two-seater’s precise handling, driving comfort and high level of active safety.

Compared with the 1.4 TWINPORT and 1.3 CDTI variants, the 1.8-liter top-of-the-line Tigra version has a more stiffly tuned chassis, which features reinforced stabilizers at the front axle to further reduce body roll, as well as a modified torsion profile at the rear axle. This enables even more precise handling, improved road holding, as well as more direct steering response.

The Tigra TwinTop is one of the first vehicles in its class to feature the Electronic Stability Program (ESP) in all variants as standard. ESP maintains driving stability with engine and brake intervention in critical driving situations. The two-seater is also fitted with the latest-generation ABS system and brake assist, which reduces stopping distance in the event of emergency braking.

Engines and transmissions

The Tigra TwinTop is available with a choice of three four-cylinder ECOTEC engines – two gasoline units (66 kW/90 hp, 92 kW/‌125 hp) and one 51 kW/70 hp diesel. All three engines boast refined performance and low fuel consumption.

A five-speed manual transmission is standard in all Tigra models. The automated Easytronic manual transmission is available as an option with the 1.4-liter TWINPORT engine. Easytronic combines the operating comfort of an automatic transmission with the sporty and fuel-efficient characteristics of a manual gearbox. In addition, the driver has the option of choosing between manual and automatic shifting modes at any time.

Opel Tigra TwinTop: Facts and figures

Timeline:

March 2004: World premiere at the Geneva Motor Show

September 2004: Sales launch in Germany

November 2004: Introduction of 1.3 CDTI ECOTEC engine and sport chassis for

1.8 top-of-the-line version

August 2005: Limited edition “Linea Rossa”

Fall 2005: Sales start in Australia and South Africa

Highlights

March 2004: Voted “Cabrio of the Year 2004” by a jury of international experts